Tree-transplanting device



A ril 7,1925. 1,532,244

7 c. F. IRISH TREE TRANSPLANTING DEVICE Fi y 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l vv 4 W April 7, 1925. 1,532,244

c. F. IRISH TREE TRANSPLANTING DEVICE Filed May 2', 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. IRISH, 0F BBA'I'ENAHL, QHIO.

TREE-TRANSPLANTING DEVICE.

Application filed May 2, 1921. Serial No. 466,368.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it know that I, CHARLES F. IRISH, a citizen of the United States, andresident of the village of Bratenahl, in the county of Cuyahoga andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTree-Transplanting Devices, of which I hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for removing andtransporting trees, for transplanting or other purposes, and it iscapable of use on trees of considerable size.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine by meansof which the tree may be excavated or lifted, and thereafter transportedto its new location, and for this purpose there is employed a combinedexcavating cradle and carrier provided with power means for itsoperation.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means formounting the tree on the carrier and holding the same in positionthereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved connectionbetween a rear truck on which the carrier is mounted and a front truckand reach, in such irianner as to produce a positive alinement betweenthe front and rear trucks, at the same time preventing any side slip ofthe cradle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lifter and carrier ofsuch size and shape that the root mass will, when the lifting force isapplied, settle into position in the cradle where it will be retainedlargely by its own weight.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followindescription.

In the accompanying rawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the completedevice with a tree thereon in position for transportation. Fig. 2 is atop plan of the machine. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the rear truckand carrier illustrating its position when the tree is about to belifted, or transplanted in its new position. Fig. 4 is a detail inlongitudinal section showing the coupling between the reach and the reartruck. Fig. 5 is a erspective of the rear end of the reach.

ig. 6 is a rear elevation of the bolster and axle of the rear truck, andthe reach connected thereto. Fig. 7 is a detail of the saddle at theupper end of the cradle.

The carrier includes 0r comprises'a concave cradle A, made of sheetmetal of sufficient strength and size to support the root mass of thetree, wherefore it has considerable width transversely of the machineand is dished so that its lower or forward edge A may be entered underthe root mass and so acts to excavate the same, after which the masswill settle into the concavity of the cradle and will be retainedtherein largely by its own weight. This cradle is mounted upon thelower-ends of the two side beams B and a middle beam B, the former beingspread or diverging to fit under the opposite ends of the cradle. Theupper or rear ends of the beams are bolted together as indicated at C,and these'beams as a whole form a lever which is mounted between itsendson a bolster l) which is'clamped upon an axle E the ends of whichreceive the wheels F, whereby the carrier can be tilted to any requiredangle, upon the axle as a pivot. Braces C C and 0' connect the bolsterand the beams ofthe carrier, to stiffen and strengthen the same.

The u per'erids of the beams support a saddle G for engaging and suportmg the trunk of the tree at a considerable distance above the ground,and the tree is clamped on the carrier by means of slings H extendingaround the trunk and connected by ropes J to winding drums I, one ofwhich is mounted upon the beams 'B and the other of which is mountedupon the rear side of the bolster D, whereby the tree can be clamped inposition with the root mass on, the cradle and the trunk against thesaddle. The carrier is so located that when in horizontal position theweight will be substantially balanced upon the axle, with both the rootsand the branches above the ground, and the position can be shiftedwithout the use of great power. I

The rear truck is detachably connected to the rear end of a double reachH which is suspended in a strap I under the axle E by means of aremovable pin J extending thru holes in the reach H and thru the loop ofthe strap, and when the reach is connected to the rear truck the middlebeam B of the carrier rests between the two members of the reach, shownin F ig. 1, whereby side movement or swing is prevented and the reach isheld in proper alinement with the rear truck, the loop of the strap Idepending into a hole K in the connecting plate L at the rear end of thereach. This plate is also provided with a ring T by means of which thereach can be pulled rearwardly if necessary. The joint or connectionthus produced with the rear end of the reach and the rear truck thusholds the parts rigid in proper position during the transportation ofthe tree.

The front ends of the reach members are connected by a plate L thruwhich the king pin M is inserted to couple the same with a plate N onthe front bolster 0 supported by the front axle Q, and front wheels P.

An eye It is fixed to the upper or rear end of the beam B, to which atackle may be connected, shown in Fig. 3, for the application of powerto the lever.

In operation, an excavation is first made around the root mass of thetree to be moved and the rear truck is then placed at the edge of theexcavation, with the cradle inserted in said excavation and under theroot mass,

and the tree trunk is then clamped against the saddle. By means of thetackle the carrier is then rocked on the rear axle as a pivot, causingthe cradle to enter under the root mass and finally lifting the same andthe tree free from the ground, and when in substantially horizontalposition the front truck and reach are backed into place and the pin Jis inserted to couple the reach and therear truck, the middle beam Bfitting, as stated, between the two members of the reach, in whichposition the tree can be transported. To deposit the tree in its newlocation the reverse operation is performed, that is, the rear truck isdrawn to the edge of the excavation made to receive the tree, the fronttruck and reach are detached and removed, and the carrier is then rockedto lower the tree into the excavation.

It will be noticed that the cradle A'is so disposed and shaped that itserves not only to carry the tree but also to apply power under the rootmass and thereby lift the same when the carrier is rocked on its pivot.This permits great power to be applied, in a simple manner, and the mainstrain is not on the tree trunk but is underneath the root mass so thatthe tree is lifted rather than pulled up, which avoids breaking up ofthe root mass and disintegration. of the earth around the same. It'wlllbe recognized that in such transplanting operations it is desirable toretain the soil around the roots in its original position so far aspossible.

The invention is not limited to the particular form and constructionshown, but various modifications may be made within the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. The combination, with a truck, of a concave tree excavator andcarrier mounted on said truck, said excavator having a projecting frontedge to engage under the root mass of the tree. a lever connected to andextending from said excavator and carrler, and means for rocking thelever.

2. The combination, with a truck, of a concave tree excavator andcarrier mounted on said truck, the excavator being dished longitudinallyto form a cradle into which the root mass of the tree will settle whenthe tree is excavated, a lever connected to said excavator and carrier,and means for rocking the lever.

3. The combination stated in claim 2, the front edge of the excavatorextending forwardly to engage under the root mass of the tree when thelatter is in vertical position.

4. The combination stated in claim 2, the

excavator being dished both transversely and longitudinallv to form acradle engagingthe root mass at the sides and also the bottom thereof.

5. The combination set forth in claim 2,

the lever comprising a plurality of beams the lower 'ends of which arecurved outwardly to engage under the root mass of the tree.

' 6. The combination stated in claim 2, the lever comprising a pluralityof beams the lower ends of which are curved to fit under the concavityof the excavator.

7. The combination stated in claim 2, the edge of the excavator beingpresented at an angle to cut under the root mass of the tree when thelever is rocked.

8. The combination stated in claim 2, the excavator comprising a dishedor concave plate with a front cutting edge presented at an angle toenter under the root mass of the tree.

9. In adevice for raising and transporting trees, a concave cradlemember having a cutting edge adapted to be entered underneath the rootsof a tree and the ball of earth enclosing the same. an extended leversecured to said member, a saddle for supporting the stem of the tree, abolster intermediate of the ends of said lever, and an axle andtransporting members mounted thereon.

10. In a tree'removing device, in combination, a cradle, central andside supporting beams extending rearwardly from said cradle, said beamsextending underneath said cradle and united at their rear ends, a reartruck secured to said beams, a double reach between the members of whichsaid central beam of said cradle is adapted to fit, and a front truckconnected to said for said beams passing under the sides and reach. 'midie of said cradle. 0 11. A concave cradle for the purpose de- Intestimony whereof, I hereunto set my scribed, comprising, a concavesheet metal hand this 22nd day of January, 1920.

5 body having a forwardly projecting front CHARLES F. IRISH.

edge to adapt it to pass under and retain in presence of: t

the roots of a tree and the enclosing ball of A. WSON,

earth thereon, and supporting beams there- WM. M. MONROE.

